The course, which is being taught by Rolling Stone staff writer Brittany Spanos, will cover several topics that include the evolution of Swift as a creative music entrepreneur, the legacy of pop and country songwriters Swift has been influenced by, discourses of youth and girlhood, and the politics of race in contemporary popular music.
All about the course being taught on Taylor Swift
Music writer and musician Jason King, who chairs the Clive Davis Institute, told Variety that the idea of introducing a course about Taylor Swift was a “no-brainer” to him when Spanos first suggested it. King, who expressed his excitement for making Spanos take the class, stated:
The description of the course reads:
The course objectives are described as:
Students will develop an understanding and appreciation for Taylor Swift as a creative music entrepreneurLearn to deconstruct the way her creativity and songwriting have made her a durable presence in a quickly evolving music industryLearn about the legacy of pop and country songwriters that have influenced Swift as well as the discourses around “prodigies” in pop music historyGain an understanding of how discourses of youth and girlhood are often exploited in the media and music industriesLearn about the politics of race in contemporary popular music, and to interrogate whiteness as it relates to Swift’s politics, songwriting, worldview and interactions with the wider cultural world around herDevelop greater sophistication in their artistic appreciation, critical thinking, research and writing skills
Spanos, an NYU alum and a former student of King herself, stated that teaching at the esteemed institute had been a dream for her. As an undergrad, Spanos took up “several of the Topics in Recorded Music courses in the program,” which later became the foundation of her work as a music journalist.
Spanos, who calls herself a “super fan” of Taylor Swift, has been covering stories on Swift ever since her writing career began a decade ago. Spanos, in a conversation with Variety, noted:
Taylor Swift herself has been invited to deliver a lecture to the class as a guest speaker. Her appearance has not yet been confirmed. The Davis Institute has previously introduced classes taught by The Roots frontman Questlove, author Dan Charnas, rapper Q-Tip, and producer-engineer Bob Power among others.
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